Simplify Your Before School Routine (And Never Be Late Again)

Do you dread the before school chaos that erupts every day as you’re all trying to get out the door in time? It can be the worst! Kids dragging their feet and not doing as you ask, or taking 30 minutes just to eat one bowl of cereal. Seriously… tell me my kids aren’t the only ones??

Someone can’t find their school shirt. Someone else forgot to pack their lunch so you have to go back inside. You’re late for work/appointments/social events because you’re still rounding up the family. Arghhhh…

Yeah, school mornings aren’t much fun! BUT you can make them easier! There are a few things we do in our household to minimise the amount of meltdowns and the frequency of shouting (I swear it’s shouts of love). Hopefully these simple changes to routine can help you get out the door on time too.

PRE-PACK LUNCHES

I actually prepare lunches 2 days ahead most of the time. Starting on a Sunday night, I will pack 2 school lunches to prepare us for Monday and Tuesday. This means even if we have a busy night sometimes, we are usually still one day ahead on school lunches and just need to grab them out of the fridge in the morning. Packing lunches is something i don’t want to make time for in the morning and at the moment, my daughter is too young to do it herself, so that is one less thing to worry about. We have 2 lunch boxes we alternate with all week. I like these ones because they fit a full sandwich plus snack compartments.

Grab my free printable for school lunch box ideas and stick it on the fridge so you are never short of things to add in too!

Time Saved: 5 minutes

LAY CLOTHES OUT THE NIGHT BEFORE

Have you ever had one of those days when you are trying to get everyone dressed for school only to realise there are no clean school uniforms? It’s pretty stressful when there’s no time to wash and you end up having to send your kids to school looking like complete grubs. Okay, so it’s only happened once here and that was enough… We now make sure to have uniforms, right down to socks and underpants, all ready the night before. This means no last second panics there is nothing to wear.

Time saved: 5 minutes

PACK BAGS

Again, there is a lot you can do the night before to save time in the morning. Pre-packing the contents of the school bag, with the exception of lunch is a great way to get organised the night before. Make sure hats, homework, books and anything else are in there ready to go. This also means having any extracurricular activities organised too, such as swimming gear for swimming day, sports uniforms, library books, and any special projects.

Time saved: 5 minutes

EASY BREAKFASTS

Having quick, easy and nutritious breakfast options ready to go are going to save heaps of time without the need to bake up a fancy meal in the morning. My kids usually choose cereal and we have a couple of different choices to keep it interesting. Toast is another quick and easy option and fresh fruit on hand if you really are running late.

Time saved: 10-20 minutes

NO TV OR PLAY BEFORE SCHOOL

In our household, our girls are currently obsessed with Playdoh and colouring in and they will try and sneak these things over to their breakfast table while they eat. And it means they simply don’t eat. No matter how many times you tell them to get on with it. You get the constant replies of ‘I AM’ but still that full bowl sits there with Cheerios floating in it. Arghhhhh… so in came the no play before school rule. My daughter simply doesn’t get up early enough before school to have that extra free time. She likes to sleep until the last second when I’m dragging off her covers (let’s not even think about those future teenage years) so fun before school just doesn’t work for us!

Time saved: 15-30 minutes

EARLY TO BED

This one may seem like a strange one when we are talking about getting out the door quicker in the morning but trust me, it helps. Tired kids will drag their feet even more and that’s the last thing you want, so make sure they are going to bed early enough. We’ve actually adjusted bed times twice once our eldest started primary school, simply because she was still waking up tired and it needed to get earlier to suit all the learning she is doing at school. She is far more likely to wake up naturally on time now or at least get out of bed easier now than she did even with half an hour later for her bedtime. It can take a little trial and error with younger kids until you find what seem to work for them but it will definitely help you get off to a good start in the morning. Less of that love yelling too 😉

Time saved: YOUR SANITY

ORGANISE YOURSELF

It’s one thing to make sure our kids routines are streamlined and organised but it doesn’t count for much if you’re the one dragging your feet and causing everyone to be late. Many of these tips can be applied to the adults in the household too with pre-planning outfits, packing lunches and bags the night before. Need more help getting your own butt into gear? Check out these 7 habits of a highly organised mum It will make a big difference to everyone starting the day on a positive foot and not a rushed one!

An organised household is a harmonious one! Not to mention the fact that happy kids = happy mums and dads!!! I’m sure you will agree!

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIPS FOR GETTING OUT THE DOOR ON TIME FOR SCHOOL?

Pin to Pinterest:

This article may contain compensated links. See our full disclosure here.

About Holly

Holly is the Editor and Owner of Simplify Create Inspire. She is an Aussie mum, wife, and corporate drop-out, focused on simplifying and finding that elusive work/life balance, while juggling her own business. She also owns a family travel blog to document her other big passion, - exploring the world.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Welcome! I'm Holly, a work at home mum of two young girls, on a journey to simplify our household. This is my place to share the ideas, inspirations and processes to help you to simplify, save, create and build a life that you love. Read More…